Jewish and Poor in New York

During the recession of the early 1990s, I became interested in the plight of poor Jews in New York City. I contacted Jewish social service agencies and accompanied case workers on their rounds. While most of the Jews living in poverty were elderly, there were also younger people, mostly with mental illness or substance abuse issues. I encountered these impoverished Jews in homeless shelters, at a kosher soup kitchen, in single-room occupancy residences and in the poorer neighborhoods of the city. Images from this project appeared in a number of Jewish publications, were part of an exhibition at the Jewish Theological Seminary, and were used to promote the work of social service organizations.